info@stevebirdswildlife.com Steve Bird’s Wildlife 07780 965129 / +44 7780 965129

Steve Bird’s Wildlife BIRDING & WILDLIFE TOURS

5 Quarry Cottages Plymouth

Devon – UK

07780 965129

+ 44 7780 965129 info@stevebirdswildlife.com

Colombia - Mitu Thursday 21st March – Saturday 30th March 2019

Specialities of Mitu – with Diego Calderon Over the last few years Colombia has hit the birding headlines as being a fantastic, new, safe destination, with more species (over 1900) than any other country in the world. Our guide Diego Calderon has been at the forefront of birding in this his home country and with new hotspots and new species being found all the time we are delighted to now offer a tour to one of the very best – Mitu. Here the diverse biodiversity holds a great variety of species amongst habitats such as Terra Firme, White Sand´s, Varzea and Riparian Forests. Many Amazon/Guianan Shield specialities can be found here and sheer variety and quality of the species on offer is astounding. For those that have been to Colombia before or for those wanting to experience somewhere new then our Mitu itinerary is a must. Add to this a few days before and afterwards looking for some very special birds this is a trip not to miss.

Some of the target species possible on this tour: Cundimarca Antpitta – Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock – Orinoco Piculet – Tawny-tufted Toucanet – Bar-bellied Woodcreeper – Cherrie’s Antwren – Chestnut-crested Antbird – Yellow-crowned Manakin – Gray-bellied Antbird – Yellow-throated Antwren – Azure-naped Jay – Blackish-gray Antshrike – Brown-headed Greenlet – Plumbeous Euphonia – White-naped Seedeater – Cinnamon Neopipo – Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet – Dot-backed Antbird – White-bellied Dacnis – Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin – Imeri Warbling-Antbird – Purple-breasted Cotinga – Black Manakin – Black Bushbird – Brown-banded Puffbird – Pompadour Cotinga – Bronzy Jacamar – Pavonine Quetzal – Rufous-crested Elaenia – Golden-bellied Starfrontlet – Green-bearded Helmetcrest – Yellow-billed Nunbird – Sword-billed Hummingbird – Blue-throated Starfrontlet – Red-crested Cotinga – Chestnut-winged Hookbill – plus many more!

info@stevebirdswildlife.com Steve Bird’s Wildlife 07780 965129 / +44 7780 965129

ITINERARY: Start of Tour: If travelling from the US or UK you need to plan for an overnight flight that arrives in the morning of March 21st at El Dorado International Airport, Bogotá, Colombia. Note Avianca have an early morning arrival. If you cannot arrive by early morning then consider arriving the day before on 20th. We can help you book an extra nights accommodation in Bogota but note this will be an additional cost. If you are flying from the UK then please contact my flight agent for quotes and routes available – Chris or Neil at FBCT – 01634 563186

Day 1: Thur 21st – Arrival Day Arrive Bogota, Colombia early morning. We will then travel towards Sumapaz National Park where we will look for the recently split Green-bearded Helmetcrest. Other interesting species here include Bogota Rail, Apolinar’s Wren and Bronze-tailed Thornbill. In the afternoon we will drive to Guayabetal with some birding en-route looking for Green-bellied Hummingbird and Cliff Flycatcher – night at basic hotel near Guayabetal. (B,L,D)

Day 2: Fri 22nd – Monterredondo – Villavicencio This morning we wil be birding the cloud forest of Monterredondo,

home to the Cundimarca Antpitta first discribed in 1992. Other birds in our sights include Brown-breasted Parakeet, Rufous Antpitta, Green-bellied Hummingbird and Ochre-breasted Brushfinch. After a late lunch on the road we will drive to Villavicencio – night at Villas de San Sebastian in a nice hotel near Villavicencio. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Sat 23rd – Bavaria Reserve – Mitu This morning we will be birding Bavaria Reserve hoping to see Yellow-billed Nunbird, Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatcher, Spot-winged Antbird,

Blue-fronted Lancebill, White-chested Puffbird, Green Manakin, Paradise Tanager and Golden-bellied Euphonia. Later we will take a noon flight from Villavicencio to Mitú. Later in the afternoon we go birding near town – night at Hotel Los Paisas, Mitu. (B,L,D)

Days 4 - 8: Sun 24th – Thur 28th – Mitu We have 5 full birding days among the local indigenous communities of (Mitu Cachivera, Santa Cruz, Tayasu, Pueblo Nuevo, Urania, Ceima Cachivera) and roads and trails near Mitú for a superb mix of white-sand, igapó, várzea, terra firme, and semi-open

areas full of endemics restricted to the Orinoco and Negro rivers. The list of birds here is exyensive with Gray-legged Tinamou, Red-fan Parrot, Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet, Blackish Nightjar, Straight-billed Hermit, Fiery Topaz, Black-bellied Thorntail, Gould's Jewelfront, Bronzy Jacamar, Brown-banded Puffbird, Rusty-breasted Nunlet, Tawny-tufted

info@stevebirdswildlife.com Steve Bird’s Wildlife 07780 965129 / +44 7780 965129

Toucanet, Orinoco Piculet, Rufous-tailed Xenops, Point-tailed Palmcreeper, Chestnut-winged Hookbill, Bar-bellied Woodcreeper, Black Bushbird, Yellow-throated, Cherrie's & Spot-backed Antwrens, Imeri Warbling-Antbird, White-plumed, Grey-bellied & Chestnut-crested Antbirds, Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock, Pompadour Cotinga, Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin, Yellow-crowned & Black Manakins, Azure-naped Jay and White-naped Seedeater. Other good birds here include Black Caracara, Red-bellied Macaw, Maroon-tailed Parakeet, Dusky-billed Parrotlet, Long-tailed Potoo, Paradise Jacamar, Chestnut-capped & Spotted Puffbirds, Lemon-throated Barbet, Lettered Aracari, Olive-backed Foliage-gleaner, Fasciated, Blackish-gray & Amazonian Antshrikes, Rufous-tailed, Pygmy, White-flanked & Long-winged Antwrens, Gray, Dusky & Blackish Antbirds, plus White-browed, Black-faced, Black-chinned, Silvered, Black-throated, Bicolored & Scale-backed Antbirds, Thrush-like Antpitta, Rusty-fronted & Yellow-browed Tody-Flycatchers, Musician Wren, Paradise, Opal-rumped & Opal-crowned Tanagers, Yellow-bellied Dacnis, Moriche Oriole and Plumbeous Euphonia amongst manu others. As you can see this is truly a wonderful birding destination. Nights at Hotel Los Paisas, Mitu. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Fri 29th – Bocatoma trail – Mitu – Bogota This morning we continue birding the Bocatoma trail for missing white-sand specialties and then after lunch we will head for the airport and take the Mitu-Bogota flight ariving early evening. We then drive 2 hours to Observatorio de Colibries. Night at Observatorio de Colibries above Bogota. (B,L,D)

Day 10: Sat 30th – Morning birding – Bogota – Departure Birding at Observatorio de Colibries we hope to find Blue-throated Starfrontlet, Coppery-bellied Puffleg, Silvery-throated Spinetail, Sword-billed Hummingbird and Red-crested Cotinga. We will then drive 45 minutes crossing the city for lunch at Chicaque Park where we hope to see Golden-bellied Starfrontlet, Glowing Puffleg and Moustached Brush Finch. Mid afternoon we drive back a couple of hours to hit Bogota airport late afternoon in time for any international departures which should be no earlier than 8:00/9:00pm. Alternativly we can arrange an additional night near the airport. Note this extra night would be on your own expense. (B,L) Leader: Diego Calderon

March 21st – 30th 2018

Main Tour Ground Price: £2750.00 – Bogota / Bogota

Single supplement: please enquire as singles may not be available at Mitu

Deposit: £500.00 per person All Photos by Diego Calderon, except Steve Bird (Guianan Cock-of-the Rock), Andres M Cuervo (Cuninamarca Antpitta), Fabio Arias (Blue-throated & Golden-bellied Starfrontlets)

info@stevebirdswildlife.com Steve Bird’s Wildlife 07780 965129 / +44 7780 965129

Included in cost: all accommodation based on twin rooms, all meals from breakfast on 21st March to lunch on 30th March, all community fees, transportation throughout, domestic flights, drinking water and services of leaders. Not included: International airfare, insurance, drinks, tips, and items of a personal nature.

Once the tour is confirmed to go ahead, we will send you information about booking your flights. Please do not book flights until you receive this information from us and are notified that the trip has sufficient numbers to run. Final payment is due Nov 21st, 2018.

This tour is being run through - Steve’s Birds Wildlife – Birding & Wildlife tours, 5 Quarry Cottages, Plymouth, Devon, UK Contact Steve Bird info@stevebirdswildlife.com for more information.

RESERVATIONS: Contact info@stevebirdswildlife.com to reserve your space! We will then send you a Registration Form which you can fill in and mail it with your deposit of £500.00 per person to Steve Bird, to secure your place. Instructions are on the form. Reservations are held with a deposit on a first-come, first-served basis. Check / Cheque or bank transfer are preferred and should be made payable to Steve Bird and mailed to 5 Quarry Cottages, Plymouth, Devon, UK Please note: Tour prices are based on quoted costs from ground operators (in their local currency), estimated fuel costs, and the rate of exchange at the time of itinerary publication. The erratic nature to global financial markets makes it difficult to predict changes in costs and foreign currency exchange rates over the long term. Since tours are priced well in advance of the actual operation of the tour, tour costs, fuel costs and exchange rates can change, sometimes drastically. Depending on the extent of such changes, it may be necessary to implement a surcharge on this tour. If a surcharge is necessary, every effort will be made to minimize the amount. Cancellations and Refunds: All cancellations must be made in writing. In the event that you must cancel your booking at any stage, all payments you have made to Steve Bird will be retained by us, except at our discretion. Please ensure that you take out adequate insurance to cover this and any other eventuality as early as possible. You may have the opportunity to transfer your booking to another tour or another person, provided you are unavoidably prevented from coming on the tour. In this case, you will bear any extra costs that such changes may incur. There are no refunds once the trip is confirmed to go ahead and no refunds will be made for unused meals, accommodations, or other trip features. Insurance: The purchase of trip cancellation insurance to cover any eventuality is strongly recommended. Steve Bird’s Wildlife cannot accept liability for airline cancellations or delays or penalties incurred by the purchase of non- refundable airline tickets or other expenses incurred by tour participants in preparing for this tour. Due to the vast choice and flexibility of flight deals and because we do not have an Air Travel Organizer’s License we are unable to book flights for our customers. Please note that you may purchase flights from any reputable agent, but to help with this we have supplied here the contact details of one particular agent that we frequently deal with in the UK. Please contact Chris or Neil at FBCT – 01634 563186 - ATOL Protected In order to comply with the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992 and more importantly, to ensure your money remains protected – all payments received by us are held in a separate client account where your money remains until the completion of the tour.

Steve Bird’s Wildlife – Birding & Wildlife Tours, 5 Quarry Cottages, Plymouth, Devon, UK

info@stevebirdswildlife.com Steve Bird’s Wildlife 07780 965129 / +44 7780 965129

BOOKING FORM

Tour Name……………………………………………………………….. Dates..…………………………………….

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wish to be known on trip) Date of Birth

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Steve Bird’s Wildlife Birdwatching & Nature Tours

info@stevebirdswildlife.com Steve Bird’s Wildlife 07780 965129 / +44 7780 965129

Accommodation Preferences:

Accommodation required (please tick) single ☐ twin ☐ double ☐

If you are a single traveller would you be willing to share in twin-­­bedded accommodation with a fellow

tour participant? Yes ☐ No ☐

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If yes give details: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

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full participation of the tour? Yes ☐ No ☐

If yes give details: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Other countries you would like to visit: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… Other interests: Butterflies, Dragonflies, Mammals, Flowers, Cetaceans, Photography etc ……………….………………………………………………………….……………………………………

Please return this form with enclosed cheque to Registered Address:

Steve Bird’s Wildlife, 5 Quarry Cottages, Plymouth, Devon. PL5 3PF Tel: 07780 965129 or +44 7780 965129

E-­­mail: info@stevebirdswildlife.com

If you would like to pay by Bank transfer then please contact Steve for details.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.